Cigarette box



Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DOIENICO VIOLA, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CIGARETTE BOX.

Application filed. .Tune 13,

scribed in my prior ap 'lication Serial Number 78,106, filed Decem er29th, .1925. Boxes of the typified character while satisfactory in manyrespects generally possess the disadvantage that the contained ciarettes can be illicitly removed, with atten ant annoyance and loss tothe owner if said cigarettes be of some choice or particular brand.

The primary object of my invention, accordingly, is to provide a box forcigarettes, 1 cigars, and so forth, of the type referred to, whichisreadily locked and closed, against illicit tampering with the contentsthereof, in a manner that puzzles the skill and wits of unauthorizedpersons to detect how said box may be opened. 1

Other objects are to provide a cigarette box, as referred to in thepreceding paragraph, which embodies dispensing or releasing means forindividual cigarettes ;'a novel locking means; and, relatively movableele ments designed to foil unauthorized persons making any effort toimproperly open said box. t l 7 With the foregoing and other objects inview, this invention consists essentially in the novel construction,arrangement and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings, and tersely stated asfar as features and scope are concerned by the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette boxembodying the present improvements.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the plane indicatedby the arrowed lines 22 in Figure 3; and showing the movable portionelevated in dotand-dash lines.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken as indicated by the lines 33 inFigure 2.

Figure 4 is an underside plan of the means effective to release anddispense individual cigarettes, removed from the box; and

F i ure 5 is an underside plan view of the comp ete cigarette box. a

Like reference indicia designate the same or corresponding parts in allthe views.

Referring more in detail to the several 1927. Serial No. 199,109;

views my novel cigarette box is comprehensively designated by thenumeral 6Figure 1- -and it will be observed that-in the embodimentchosen for illustrationit is rectangular in shape. This box 6 comprisesa reciprocable inner shell 7 to which the closure top 8 is firmlysecured and provided with a centrally located longitudinal slot 9, thatsnugly accommodates the cigarette dispensing member 10, when said innershell is in the normal or closed position shown.

The outer or relatively stationary casing 11 of the cigarette box 6includes a-base 12,

convenientlythough not essentiallyfitted with supporting elements 13 atthe lower angular corners, and which may be conventionally provided withnon-slip under surfaces of suitable material such as baize,rub-

her or the like.

The means effective to retain the parts 7 and 11 in operative relationcomprise plate members 14 set, in the lower edge of the shell 7, andhaving tongues 15 that engage vertical slots 16 formed in the inner wallof the stationary casinglll along conventional lines, and affordingprovision for limited movement of said shellrelative to the stationaryportion.

The inner shell 7 is provided with opposed downwardly converging fillerblocks '17 which are adapted to slide vertically of the dispensingmember 10 in consecutively elevating the cigarettes 18 to deposit anindividual one in the longitudinally grooved upper edge 19 of saidmember, as will be well understood on reference to Figure 2, moreparticularly.

Locking of the inner shell 7 to the outer casing 11 to preventreciprocation of the latter-in effecting ejection of cigarettes 18illicitly-is effected through the medium of a-slidable bolt 20 engaginga transverse slot 21in the bottom closure member 22. Particularattention is directed to the factthat the bolt 20 is preferably ofrectangular cross section and that it is of a length so as not to beremovable from cooperative engagebolt 20 is also provided at one endwith ya centrally located finger or projection, 25 having an inclinedunder face 26 which is adapted to en 'age a suitably configured hasp 27securely at ached to the underside o'fon'e of the filler blocks 17aforesaid; hence it will be readily understood; that when the parts 23,24 and 26, 27 are in engagement that the shell 7 and outer casing 11 arefrictionally locked together, while no markings or visible means areapparent, indi'caftive that'the bolt is the element movable in order torelease said parts in affecting the dispensing of cigarettes. i

In order to render my novel boxeifective against 'illicit purloinin'g ofthe contained cigaretteslS and to better-fool those attempting to openthe same, I provide the bottom closure member 22 with relativelystaggered dovetail-section ribs 28, 29,-h'aving freely slidable membersthereon. In addition to the members 30,1fitthe closure 1nember-22' withpivoted finger pieces 31 having rounded'free ends 32 adapted to jambwith the correspondingly notched out parts 33 of said members30.Obviously,

' the slidable members 30 and finger pieces 31 may be variouslypatterned and finished to betterfool anyone endeavoring to illicitlyascertain their possible combination in affecting release of the shell 7relative to the part 11, as indicated by dotted lines inFigure 5; henceI do not limitmyself to the specific aggronpment of such parts shown. Itis also to be understood that I preferably makcthe relative cooperativeand locking portions of materials unaifected bynormal' usage whileafiording adequate frictional engagement between the bolt 2 6 and hasp27, so that they may not be accidentally or inadvertently released.

From the foregoingit is thought that the use and effectiveness of mynovel loclt box for cigarettes, cigars and so fortln'will be apparentwithout further explanation herein, while th'e'exterior portions may bepatterned and finished in numerous manners without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention what 1 claim is:'-

1. In a dispensingdeviee for individual cigarettes or the like andcomprising a stationaryout'er casing and base with arelativelytelescopic inner shell embodying filler blocks afl'ordinstorage for cigarettes, and a member sli'dah e1 laterally of theaforesaid base and adapted to frictionally engage in apertures in thewall's'thereof to effectlocking ofthe innershell thereto.

' 2. In adispensing device for individual cigarettesor the like andcomprising a stationary'outer casing and basewith a relativelytelescopic inner shell embodying filler blocks affording storage forcigarettes, and a rectangular-section bolt slidable laterally in theeasingbas'e and adapted to frictionally engage complemental aperturestherein in effecting locking of the inner'she'll thereto. 3. In adispensing device forindividual cigarettes or'the like and comprising asta-'

